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So, Where Are They Now? – The Goonies

The Goonies is a cult classic film by acclaimed director Richard Donner (Superman) about a group of youths who band together on a treasure hunting adventure to find the fortune of pirate One-Eyed Willy in an attempt to save their homes in the Goon Docks. The movie was written by Steven Spielberg and remains very popular to this day, launching the careers of some of Hollywood’s biggest names. So, the question must be asked about the group of misfit pre-teens, Where Are They Now?

Michael “Mikey” Walsh – Sean Astin

Sean played the core group’s nerdy leader with determination, heart and as a nervous asthma sufferer. Born into the entertainment industry through his father, John Astin, who infamously played The Riddler in the second season of Batman ’66. Sean continued to remain in the spotlight and during the early 2000’s was one of the biggest names in Hollywood for his portrayal of the fats hobbitses Samwise Gamgee in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. After the Rings success, Astin continued to work on films in largely supporting roles, but found a special niche in voice acting work for film and television. He is currently voicing Raphael in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as well as Billy Batson/Shazam in Justice League Action. Astin has also taken a liking to health and fitness, regularly participating in fun runs and Iron Man events.

Clarke “Mouth” Devereaux – Corey Feldman

Mouth fell into our hearts for his quick wit and ability to talk himself in and out of a troublesome situation, particularly with his fluency in the Spanish language. Cory Feldman continued for several years after The Goonies as a child star. Feldman has barely left out screens, although due to his addiction and personal issues, didn’t reach the same level of acclaim as his fellow cast mates. Feldman participated in the reality television show The Surreal Life in 2002 and has styled himself as a musician, releasing 5 albums with his latest Angelic 2 the Core being released in 2016. Feldman has most recently starred in several horror/comedy films such as Sharknado 3 and The Lost Boys: The Thirst. Corey has also taken a liking to voice acting work, with recurring roles in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Turbo: Fast among others, as well as continuing to be a reality television star/trainwreck.

Richard “Data” Wang – Jonathan Ke Quan

Ke Quan landed two huge roles in two years at the start of his career in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies. However, Ke Quan fell out of acting in Hollywood in the early 90’s after roles in Breathing Fire and Encino Man. Ke Quan opted to star in Hong Kong and Japanese movie productions, with his final acting role occurring in 2002 in Second Time Around. Jonathan has kept a very low profile in his social life since leaving the industry. However, he has worked as an assistant stunt coordinator to Corey Yuen for the movies X-Men and The One through his knowledge of Taekwondo. Ke Quan made a rare public appearance since leaving the spotlight in June 2017 at Knoxville Comic Con.

Laurence “Chunk” Cohen – Jeff Cohen

Chunk was most famous for his introductory dance into the Goonies clubhouse, the Truffle Shuffle. Loud, silly, hungry and severely loyal, Chunk is one of the most memorable Goonies. However, actor Jeff Cohen did not reach the same level of success as his other stars. Instead, he left acting to study Business Administration at the University of California, followed by a Law degree at UCLA. Cohen has worked in recent years as an Entertainment Lawyer in Beverly Hills as well as contributing to business, political and legal matters in the Huffington Post and CNBC.

Brandon “Brand” Walsh – Josh Brolin

Josh Brolin portrayed Mikey’s older, gym obsessed brother Brand, who gets roped into looking out for the Goonies wellbeing when they stumble across the Fratelli’s hideout. After Goonies, Brolin’s career was steady consisting of regular television and movie appearances throughout the 90’s. His next big break came in 2005 in the modern western, No Country For Old Men where Brolin played a Vietnam Veteran on the run from the law upon finding drug money. He received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for the role. Brolin has continued to play lead roles in some of Hollywood’s biggest and most acclaimed movies such as American Gangster, W. and Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Undoubtedly Brolin’s biggest continued role has been that of Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, taking centre stage in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War. He has also recently been cast as the mutant Cable in Deadpool 2. Things are only looking up for Brolin.

Andrea “Andy” Carmichael – Kerri Green

Kerri Green portrayed an older teen who, with Brand and Stef fell into the core group’s adventure. As the love interest for Brand, Green portrayed the typical high school cheerleader in the film. Green stayed in Hollywood for many years as an actor, generally playing supporting and guest roles in several movies and television series like ER, Mad About You and Law And Order: SVU. Green has taken a more active role behind the scenes, writing screenplays for major movies and even founded her own production company Independent Women Artists. Her most recent acting credit was the 2012 movie Complacent, where she had a starring role.

Stephanie “Stef” Steinbrenner – Martha Plimpton

Martha Plimpton may not be an instantly recognizable household name, but she has gone on to have huge success in and out of Hollywood. Plimpton is a renowned political activist, particularly regarding rights for women to seek an abortion and LGBTQ equality. Plimpton’s film roles have been minor supporting roles in recent years, however, she has maintained success in television shows like Raising Hope and The Good Wife, earning an Emmy award. Plimpton has also starred in a number of theatre and Broadway productions using her vocal skills, with her most recent performance being A Delicate Balance as Julia, alongside Glenn Close and John Lithgow. Plimpton has also used her talents to narrate audiobooks.

Lotni “Sloth” Fratelli – John Matuszak

Matsuzak was a former football player renowned for his size, allowing him to play monstrous roles in films. He perfectly fitted the size for the deformed and overtly friendly Sloth. Unfortunately, Matuszak’s career was short lived after The Goonies, with roles in several movies and television shows like M.A.S.H, Dukes Of Hazard and The A-Team before his untimely death in 1989. A coroner’s report found that Matsuzak died of a proproxyphene overdose with cocaine, bronchopneumonia and an enlarged heart also being possible contributing factors.

Agatha “Mama” Fratelli – Anne Ramsey

Following her role as the head of the villainous FratelliFamily in The Goonies, Anne Ramsey had few successful years in the spotlight. She most notably portrayed the character Momma in the 1987 comedy film Throw Momma from the Train where she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes. Ramsey, unfortunately, passed away a year later from oesophageal cancer.

Jake Fratelli – Robert Davi

Robert Davi may not be a household name, but he has been consistently active in various fields of acting, directing and singing. Davi often portrays the villain in both television and movies due to the scarring on his face and powerful Italian voice. His most notable villain role came several years later in the James Bond film License to Kill. Davi has also dabbled in voice acting work for notable television programs and video games among the likes of Halo, Grand Theft Auto and Batman Beyond. Davi currently runs a radio program Talk Radio Network and has also recorded a Frank Sinatra tribute album in 2011.

Francis Fratelli – Joe Pantoliano

Much like Davi, Pantoliano often plays villainous characters for his roles. He has had notable roles in movies and television with credits in The Matrix, The Sopranos, Bad Boys and Daredevil to name a few. While his work has quietened down in recent years he is still very much active, contributing his voice to the video game franchise Call of Duty, as well as a recurring role in the Netflix series Sense 8. In 2003, Pantoliano won an Emmy Award for his role in The Sopranos for Outstanding Supporting Actor.

That’s it for this edition of Where Are They Now? Are there any movie casts you’d like to check in on? Let us know in the comments or via Facebook!

Comments

There is nothing like being captivated by an over the top blockbuster or lost in an emotional whirlwind of a strong drama. Movies create worlds that make us feel a like we belong, connecting and challenging us to think in ways we cannot always envision in real life. A cheeky popcorn and choc top help of course. Favourite movies: Scarface, The Empire Strikes Back, Waynes World